STR Reports US Hotel Occupancy Rises 2.7% to 50.2% in December 2013

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. January 24, 2014

January 24, 2014 - The U.S. hotel industry reported positive results in the three key performance metrics during December 2013, according to data from STR.

Overall, the U.S. hotel industry's occupancy rose slightly, up 2.7 percent to 50.2 percent. Its average daily rate was up 3.9 percent to US$108.77, and revenue per available room increased 6.7 percent to US$54.65.

“Despite dropping one Saturday against 2012, 2013 results were buoyed by the favorable Hanukkah comps (December 2012 and November 2013). Also, since Christmas and New Year's Eve fell on Wednesday and Tuesday, respectively, versus earlier in 2012 (Tuesday and Monday), vacationers may have taken an extra day,” said Jan Freitag, senior VP of strategic development at STR.

Among the Top 25 Markets, Tampa-St Petersburg, Florida, experienced the largest occupancy increase for the month, rising 11.9 percent to 59.0 percent. Two markets followed: Chicago, Illinois (+10.7 percent to 53.7 percent), and Denver, Colorado (+10.4 percent to 55.1 percent). Oahu Island, Hawaii, saw the largest occupancy decrease, falling 4.2 percent to 79.3 percent.

Three markets achieved double-digit ADR increases: New Orleans, Louisiana (+20.5 percent to US$142.96); Chicago (+11.5 percent to US$116.37); and Oahu Island (+11.4 percent to US$229.34). Atlanta, Georgia, reported the largest ADR decline, with a 5.5-percent drop to US$80.57.

New Orleans ended the month with the largest RevPAR increase, rising 30.6 percent to US$82.90. Chicago followed with a 23.5-percent increase to US$62.48. Norfolk-Virginia, Virginia, reported the largest RevPAR decrease, dropping 3.3 percent to US$25.93, followed by Atlanta (-2.8 percent to US$42.24).